Perfection In Hueco Mundo
by MisaxMisa
Summary: The war in Hueco Mundo is over, so what will happen now? I suck at summaries :P RenIchi.


**Author's Note: I dunno how well I got Renji's talk right. Sorry if it's crap. Please read and review to tell me what I'm doing right or wrong and, please, no flames. Renji and Ichigo are OOC for the most part. This is Renji's POV by the way!**

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**Perfection In Hueco Mundo**

The spiritual pressure in Hueco Mundo was crashing around me and felt like it was crushing me into the ground I was lying on. Fighting those Arrancar had taken it out of me. I was injured and felt set to die right there, but I couldn't. I had to live, to see Ichigo beat Aizen and win this war. That goddamn annoying ryoka who was stronger than me even after all of my training and experience. The spiritual pressure I could feel was Ichigo's, so familiar and reassuring. Ichigo had a knack for surviving even if the odds were against him, he saved Rukia from execution on what seemed would be a suicide mission even when I, her long time friend, could not see that her offence did not deserve the death penalty.

"Renji!"

I opened my eyes and turned me head to the left to see the said Rukia running over to me. Speak of the devil and he – or she – shall appear.

"Hanataro, he's over here! He's injured so hurry!" She yelled over her shoulder.

She knelt to me looking worried.

I grinned, "Ya look like ya jus' seen a ghost." My voice was barely more than a whisper.

"You kinda look like your well on your way to becoming one," she chuckled, brushing the strands of my long, red hair out of my face. I'd lost the band keeping it up during the battle.

"Ya ain't getting rid a me tha' easily"

Hanataro and some other squad 4 members appeared out of the darkness and set to work on me immediately.

It wasn't long before I could sit up. Everyone was talking, but I wasn't listening, I was concentrating on Strawberry's spiritual pressure, as if I could tell what was happening in the fight through it. It felt like forever, waiting for the raging battle somewhere in the distance to end. And then it did.

Aizen's spiritual pressure just disappeared, everyone stopped talkin and looked up, smiles lighting up every one of their faces. Ichigo had won!

"Ichigo…," Rukia whispered happily.

But Ichigo wasn't there anymore. His spiritual pressure had seemed to drop away abruptly, just like Aizen's had.

"Renji! Don't- Your wounds!"

I couldn't care less about my wounds in all honesty. I was running, whether it was in the right direction I didn't know, but it felt like it was, it felt like he was in front of me somewhere.

My heart was racing. I hadn't felt this alive in hours, but, if Ichigo wasn't here anymore, my life wouldn't be worth living.

I'd never admitted it to myself, but right now, how could I deny it? It was so clear in my mind that it was just plain stupid. I love that annoying teenager. I found myself missing him after he left the Soul Society. I wished he would show the same level of care for me as he seemed to do for Rukia. I couldn't see that happening in a million year though, and it really hurt.

I finally reached where the fight had taken place. You could tell by all the destruction and the spiritual pressure had been so strong here, I could still feel it echoing around the place.

I looked around frantically, eyes searching every shadow for some hint of Ichigo's whereabouts. In my haste, I almost missed that flash of orange to my right. When I looked again, I saw Ichigo lying face down on the ground. My heart stopped. I ran and turned him over, he wasn't moving at all, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My red hair was falling over my face so I could barely see the boy in my arms.

"I-Ichigo?" I whispered. There was no response.

"Ichigo?" I said a bit stronger, shaking him slightly. Still no response.

"Ichigo! Wake up ya fucking idiot!" I yelled, shaking him hard.

"Ya can't leave me! Not now! Godammit Ichigo! WAKE UP!" I screamed, collapsing over his motionless form, my hair lying across his chest.

I lay there shaking uncontrollably for a few seconds until an almost silent groan came from beneath me.

"Urgh – Renji?"

"I'm here," I said, shooting up to give him space to breathe.

"Renji, is it really you?" he reached up and touched my face. Just this gesture sent shivers down my spine.

"Yeah, it's really me. Ya scared me half ta death you idiot."

"I thought I had died."

I laughed, but I was a tense and harsh sound. Ichigo tried to sit up so I backed off to give him space and saw that he then struggled to stand. I helped him to his feet but he seemed to get visibly paler as I did. He really was a mess, cuts and grazes littered his exposed skin and he was covered I sweat, dirt and blood.

I let go of his arms when he seemed steady enough.

"We won." He said into the silence, "We really won."

"I know," I said smiling, "All thanks ta you."

I looked into his eyes. There was something there, as if he was contemplating me as he looked right back at me.

He kind of leaned forward and then lost his balance slightly, falling forwards towards me.

"Whoa there -"I was cut off by his lips crashing down on mine as he wrapped his arms around my neck. My hands were hovering just off his waist, barely touching him, and I didn't kiss him back. I was way too shocked to do anything at all. He seemed to realize my hesitation. He pulled away, a blush colouring his unnaturally pale cheeks as he took an unsteady step back.

"Err…" I started, but I couldn't finish.

"I'm sorry!" Ichigo said, not looking me in the eye. "I don't know what came over me, I was overwhelmed. I-I…I really like you Renji. I know you won't feel the same way but-"

It was my turn to interrupt him now.

"Who says?"

Ichigo paused for a moment. "What?" he asked clearly confused.

I stepped forward, closed the gap between us, and wrapped my arms around his slender waist.

"I can't remember ever sayin' I didn't feel the same way. In fact, I've liked ya tha' way for quite a while now."

He looked up at me with a look of shock and confusion plastered on his lovely face, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. I could almost imagine what he would be thinking now. _"He likes me? He really feels the same way about me as I do about him? That can't be true."_

"Tell me what you're thinking." I said, pulling him closer to me.

"I'm trying to understand why you would say that, I mean… are you just trying to make me feel better?"

I was silent for a second.

"I'm telling you the truth so that both of us can be happy. Why would I lie?"

I lightened my grip on him so I could look down at him. I saw his face slowly change from shocked to comprehension to pure joy. His massive grin gave me butterflies in my stomach. He looked so damn cute. I leaned and kissed him, softer than when he kissed me, but with so much feeling in it that I was almost blown away. He seemed hesitant at first but I felt him lean into it, pressing his solid body against my own. I nibbled on his lower lip and ran my tongue along it. He gasped and I took advantage of it by sliding my tongue into his mouth. In all of my lifetime I had never felt this happy before. After a while, I had to break away from the kiss. Damn the need for oxygen.

Ichigo was staring up at me with tears in his eyes. This unnerved me a bit, I'd never seen him his emotions like this before.

"Why are you crying?" I asked, reaching to wipe the tears away.

He blushed and buried his head in my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his back and placed a hand on the back of his head and wished I would never have to let go.

"Guilt. Happiness. I don't really know."

With that he began to shake, sobbing into my shoulder as his knees gave way. I slid down with him and sat crossed legged, pulling him onto my lap and cuddling him to try and comfort him

"Why do you feel guilty?" He was silent for a second.

"So many people died. I should feel sad, and I do, but the happiness of your making me feel is stronger…and the fact that we won! Their not here to celebrate this victory and they will never feel this kind of happiness ever again." The steady voice he was using suddenly vanished and he was really sobbing now. "I should have been able to save them! If only I had beaten Aizen earlier. Their dead because of my incompetence Renji!"

I was stunned as he continued to sob into my shoulder. I didn't want him to feel like this. He shouldn't have to feel like this.

"No Ichigo. This isn't your fault. Ya the only one who coulda beaten Aizen Ichi. They fought in this war knowing they may not make it out alive. Ya can't save everyone, ya only one person, a human with limits, just like the rest of us. Just be glad that there are those who survived. Ya saved the girl, ya saved me. Ya saved everyone here. Ya the Soul Society's hero.

Ichigo sniffed and looked up at me again.

"I was lying on the floor of this place, I came so close to dying, but I forced myself ta live so I could see ya again. Ya were the reason I wanted to live Ichi! Ya my orange strawberry." I said, adding the last bit in a whisper. I kissed his forehead which made him smile slightly. I guess my encouragement was working.

"If I'm your orange strawberry then you're my red pineapple," he said, snuggling into my chest and gripping my uniform.

"That's fine with me babe," I laughed, grinning.

"Babe? He pouted. "It makes me sound like a girl."

I winked at him, "You look so cute when you pout."

"I don't put."

"You just did!"

"No I didn't!"

"See! You're doing it again!"

"No I'm not you idiot! This isn't pouting!"

"What is it then?"

"I don't know, but it's not pouting."

"Okay Ichiberry." I said, laughing.

He smiled at me and grabbed the collar of my mangled uniform, pulling me down to kiss him, not that I was objecting.

I slipped the hand across the back of his neck and entwined my fingers into the orange, spiky mass of hair, pulling on it slightly. He did the same, wrapping my long red hair around his hands. He moved so that he was kneeling with his legs on either side of my waist as if he were straddling me. My other hand, that wasn't wrapped in his hair, found it's way to his lower back, pulling him closer. He smiled into the kiss, moaning as I nibble on his lip yet again.

I honestly felt like I was in heaven, that the carnage around is didn't really exist. I never wanted this feeling to end.

But it did, and too soon for my liking.

"Renji?!"

"Gah!" Ichigo yelped, rolling of me. He got such a shock that he almost bit my tongue.

He was lying on the floor next to me now, panting and looking so hot that it took all my willpower to not just take him right then and there.

"Rukia." I hissed.

"Do-Do we just…?"

"We'll tell them eventually. It's our secret for now."

He smiled.

"Oh my god! There you are, and Ichigo too! We were all so worried about you two." She gasped with a hand over her heart. "EVERYONE, THEY'RE OVER HERE! ICHIGO IS HURT PRETTY BADLY!"

I'd actually forgotten that he was injured. How stupid of me! I mentally slapped myself.

****

"To the Soul Society! To Ichigo!" Urahara declared with his 9th mug or sake. Everyone was gathered in his little sitting room, taking over all of the space.

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered, throwing their hands up in the air. Through a haze of drunkenness, Yumichika forgot that he had a mug in his hand and spilled sake all over Ikkaku, who then began to yell at Yumichika for wasting valuable drink. Yoruichi was pawing all of Urahara, trying to convince him to go get her catnip and as soon as the cheer was over, Rangiku to flirt with Toshiro who was flirting back, so evidently, Toshiro was drunk too. Rukia, who had only drank one mug of sake, was playing with the Chappy teddies Ichigo and I had both bought her for her last birthday.

Ichigo looked happy, he sitting across from me, between Urahara and Rukia, he smiling and laughing with everyone else. But you could never be sure with Ichigo. I caught Ichigo's eye and smiled at him, he smiled back twice as big. We hadn't had a chance to talk about what happened between us in Hueco Mundo a few days ago.

Rangiku chose that moment to come and hug me from behind, kissing me on the cheek and placing a new mug of sake on the table in front of me. She walked over to Captain Hitsugaya and leaned against them. I was sure something was gonna happen between them two eventually.

I turned to look back at Ichigo but I only caught a glimpse of him as he was leaving the room. I really wanted to talk to him and I was desperate to have him in my arms again, so I left it a while, drank my mug in one go and followed him out of the room. I found him outside the back of the house.

"Hey," I said as I stepped outside and closed the door.

I walked towards him and he turned to face me. I wrapped my arms around his waist as snaked his arms around me. I pressed my face into his soft hair and took in a lung full of his intoxicating scent. He pulled his head from under my face and pressed his lips to mine. It had been 4 days since our last kiss, but it felt like forever to me.

"Hey Ichiberry." I mumbled into his mouth.

He smiled and pulled his face away so he could look into my eyes.

"Renji, I've been thinking…"

"Yeah?"

"I don't like you like I said in Hueco Mundo-"

My face dropped and my arms went limp around his waist. I went to pull away but he wouldn't le me.

"Let me finish. I don't like you…I love you." He said, blushing.

My heart stopped. That wasn't what I had been expecting.

Ichigo laughed at the expression on my face. "Pineapple?"

I might as well have dove on him. I pinned him against the wall and kissed him with the force of a charging bull. He seemed shocked at first but got into it, running his hands up and down my back. He pulled his arms round to my chest and unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing. He started to trace my tattoos with his index finger as we parted, trying to catch our breath again.

"Maybe you can come stay at my house now, instead of mooching off Urahara."

"I'm not a moocher." I countered.

"Aha?" He questioned, chuckling.

"I don't mooch! I had no choice and you know it!"

He stuck his tongue out at me. "So would you like to come stay at mine?"

"Of course I would." I laughed.

"Good. Now shut up and kiss me." He grabbed back of my neck and pulled me down.

"With pleasure."

He ran his other hand up and down my chest as we kissed again, every so often one of us would moan or gasp. It felt so good it was unreal. So good infact, that we didn't even notice the back door being opened.

"Err, Renji? Ichigo? What are you doing?"

Just like the last time Rukia interrupted us, Ichigo yelped but pushed me away with enough force that I fell backwards and landed on my backside in the dust.

"Dude!" I yelped, massaging my broken ass.

Rukia just stood there, blushing slightly.

"Well, err…" Ichigo started.

"He's my boyfriend." I said simply. There was no point in lying about it now.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ichigo smile.

"Really?" Rukia asked obviously shocked, switching her gaze from me, to Ichigo and back again.

"Yeah, it was decided in Hueco Mundo." Ichigo replied.

"We, err, didn't know how everyone would take it." I got up and stood next to Ichigo.

Rukia looked through the window next to the backdoor. She smiled and turned to look at us.

"Why don't you come find out? I doubt it will be as bad as you think."

I returned her smile. She really was a good friend. She turned and walked back into the house, leaving the door open for us.

"Ready for this Ichi?" I asked, reaching over and taking his had.

"I think so," he smiled as he squeezed my hand.

I just stood and looked at him for a second.

He really is perfect.

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**I know, the title didn't have much to do with the**** story, but I honestly couldn't think of anything better. I'll try harder to think of one next time! Also, sorry if i got the tenses mixed up, i have a habit of slipping from present to past. If you don't mind, let me know where I did so i can edit it and avoid doing it in other stories! You's are a great help!**

**Thanks for reading guys =D**

**Love ya's!**

**MisaxMisa**


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